Japan Tea Tour with Tea Master, Bruce Richardson Part 2

Today, we zipped down to one of the suthern islands of Japan, Kyushu, on Shinkansen (bullet train). Kagoshima is located on the southern tip of Kyusyu island. Kagoshima is the second largest green tea producer after Shizuoka, Japan. It is predicted green tea production in Kagoshima will surpass one in Shizuoka in the near future. Growing green tea is Kagoshima’s pride, and we witnessed the passion during our visit.

On the second day in Kagoshima, we visited the famous Sakura-jima Volcano. This volcano is still active as you can see from the smoke rising from it in the piture. From there, we traveled to Wakohen Tea farm and factory. There we enjoyed a 7-course feast with tea incorporated in every dish.

Later, we visited the Sakamoto Gyokuro Tea farm. We enjoyed their amazing Gyokuro and Karigane made with cold brew method along with home-made Japanese sweets. The President, Mr. Sakamoto, made a wonderful presentation about what makes the best health benefits. His passion to offer the highest quality teas for his customers impressed every one of us.

We finished our tour with an overnight visit to Koya-san Mountain, a sacred village filled with temples. One of our travelers described our visit to Koya-san Maintain was “a cherry on top of.”

We said a bitter-sweet goodbye to our wonderful new ambitious-traveler friends. We are so thankful a love of tea brought us all toether and gave us the opportunity to explore Japanese culture and teas. Treasure your cup of tea for you never know where it may take you.

“Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things.” By Okakura Kakuzo

Point each picture to read caption.

Trip from Kyoto to Kagoshima by Shinkansen

Bento lunch in Shinkansen

SEI MEE TEA tour bus

Greeted by President Shimodozono Tea Company. He answered our questions about how tea is made and different varieties of tea.

Carefully packed one by one

The President’s wife is a certified tea ceremony instructor. This beautiful tea room is where she teaches and performs traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

Traditional tea room with Tokonoma

Going into a countryside

Organic tea farm in a countryside of Kagoshima.

Examining the new buds.

Tea farming operated by quality machine in Japan

The machine on the left is used to harvest tea leaves when ready. On the right is a fertilizing machine that uses all natural fertilizers. The trackis of these machine are well designed to fit perfectly between the rows of tea plants and were invented in Kagoshima.

Saemidori, fast growing cultivar is beginning to grow new buds, meaning it will be ready for harvest soon.

Mr. Richardson eats fresh leaf

Two generations passionate about green tea.

Her first tea farm visit was when she was 5. It’s been 12 years….

They are passionate about growing organic green teas

Tea farmers take break in this traditional room with irori open frame barbeque table.